7
PROCTOR | June 2017
News
Children make up almost 50% of
the more than 3000 Queenslanders
arrested and charged with child
pornography offences over the
past decade, according to a State
Government agency study.
The study also found that, of the 1470
children dealt with by Queensland police
in relation to child pornography, more than
45% were young girls and the prevalent type
of crimes committed related to ‘sexting’
explicit material via electronic devices such
as mobile phones.
The Queensland Sentencing Advisory
Council ‘Spotlight’ study focused on all
of the sentencing outcomes for offences
related to producing, possessing and
distributing ‘child exploitation material’ (CEM)
between 1 July 2006, and 30 June 2016.
The study found that 3035 offenders were
charged with a total of 8198 CEM-related
offences and dealt with by the criminal justice
system over the 10-year period.
“(Of these) 1470 young offenders were dealt
with by Queensland Police Service (QPS)
via a caution of conference,” a council
statement said. “(A total of) 1565 offenders
were sentenced in Queensland courts,
including 28 young offenders.
“Young people were predominantly diverted
by QPS for sexting-based offences.”
The phenomenon of sexting was first
popularised with the introduction of the
mobile phone Short Messaging Service (SMS)
and digital sharing functions, and relates to
sending, receiving, or forwarding sexually
explicit messages, photographs or images.
It may also include the use of a computer
or any electronic digital device.
Commonwealth laws dictate that a child
under the 17 can be convicted of possessing
or distributing child pornography material
images or video of themselves or their peers,
including those that have been taken or
shared consensually.
Under Queensland criminal laws, CEM
includes anything that depicts a child under
16 in a sexual context or setting.
“The average age of a (child) dealt with by
QPS diversion (rather than the courts) was
14.8 years,” the statement said. “Of all the
young people diverted by QPS, the vast
majority were dealt with via a formal caution
(92.9%), with only 7.1% attending a youth
justice conference.
“Male offenders comprised 54.8%, while
female offenders comprised 45.2%.”
– Tony Keim
Almost half of child porn
offenders are children
Coast firms
merge as
Sajen Legal
Sunshine Coast law firms Sajen
Legal and Ferguson Cannon
Lawyers have announced a
merger, bringing together almost
50 years of combined practice.
The firms, with offices in Brisbane and
Hong Kong, joined forces on 2 May as
Sajen Legal with directors Kyle Kimball,
Glenn Ferguson AM, Angelo Venardos
and Timothy Borham.
“After a combined history of almost
50 years, we’ve decided that it’s time
to join forces,” Mr Kimball said. “Glenn
Ferguson and I worked together as
young lawyers and we’ve maintained a
friendship ever since, lasting more than
20 years. It’s at last time to do business
together rather than in opposition.”
Mr Ferguson said that the firm would
continue to focus on business law
while adding more depth and variety
to its services.
Sajen Legal is based at Level 1,
2 Emporio Place, Maroochydore,
and retains offices in Brisbane
and Hong Kong.